Over 100 industry leaders tour company’s extensive quarrying/manufacturing ops

OOLITIC, IND., – 7/16/14 – Indiana Limestone Co. hosted a gathering of valued customers at its inaugural “Rock ‘n’ Quarry” celebration last month. The event brought visitors to the company’s Oolitic, Ind. headquarters and included a tour of active quarrying and milling operations at ILCO’s multiple historic Lawrence County locations.

“We were pleased to host some 150 customers – fabricators, distributors, masons and architects – and our team,” said Tom Quigley, Indiana Limestone’s Chief Executive Officer. “This was a great opportunity to showcase our newly-designed manufacturing facilities, our quarries, and the inventory that we’re building to support our customers’ needs. As a business, we already are seeing evidence of a solid market recovery given our strong backlog and bookings for customers all across North America. It’s a great time to be in the limestone business.”

ILCO officials said the event gave visitors a rare opportunity to experience current high-volume operations from the company that produced facing stone for such landmark structures as the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, Washington’s National Cathedral, and the newly designed and created 15 Central Park West.

Tony Parenza, ILCO’s Western Territory Manager said, “Our team put a lot of hard work into getting this event arranged in just 30 days. The feedback from our attendees was phenomenal.”

Visitors from dozens of U.S. and Canadian firms attended, some arriving from as far away as New Jersey, Vancouver and Toronto. They enjoyed a barbecue at ILCO corporate headquarters, received a quick course in industrial safety, then headed for the quarry, which lies at the heart of one of the world’s richest limestone deposits. The company’s holdings covering 4,000 acres of prime quarrying land are believed to hold more than 100 years of limestone reserves. The guests also saw one of the largest limestone production plants in the U.S., which provides finished and raw Indiana limestone to a nationwide fabricator network.

“This program was very well received,” said Craig Alwine, Eastern Territory Manager for ILCO. “Our guests were excited to see all the quarry activity and a shop that was running at full speed. It exceeded expectations and provided us the opportunity to showcase the new Indiana Limestone Co. to our valued customers and industry colleagues.”

Photo Credit: Rob Chinn